Bar owners in Murang’a county have asked authorities to allow them to operate until the end of the festive season before implementing a directive to close premises near schools.
The traders said there should be talks with the government considering the huge investments that have been made in the hospitality sector.
Speakers during the Bars, Hotels and Liquor Traders Association annual meeting said closing the more than 2,257 bars will affect the economy.
“We had commenced talks with the government about this directive but already some bars are being closed down. May the government give us time to deliberate on the issue,” chairman Simon Njoroge said.
The establishments do not influence bad behaviour among school going children, he added, saying through their association, they have ensured members don’t sell alcoholic drinks to students.
Since schools are on holiday, the affected bars could operate during the festive season before a solution is found, Njoroge said.
“According to the directive, 355 bars in Murang’a county are slated for closure. Many of these bars were established before the schools. Let this matter be well handled so we don’t push some of our business people into depression.”
The Interior Ministry issued a directive ordering Nacada and security teams to close bars that operate within 300 metres of schools.
Other officials decried harassment from security agents and called for harmonisation of county laws that regulate liquor outlets.
Some counties have punitive liquor laws and also charge exorbitant licences, thus exploiting bar and restaurant owners.
The traders also called for fewer inspections of outlets, saying numerous checks have provided a platform for runaway corruption.
“Let our bars be inspected once during the opening of the outlet. These many inspections have been misused by some of the security agents to solicit bribes,” said the association’s secretary, Boniface Gachoka.
County secretary Newton
Mwangi promised to spearhead
talks between the bar owners
and the administration to iron
out grievances.